A YouTuber who accidentally uploaded a video of her hitting her dog is allowed to keep her pet as police don’t think he’s in any immediate danger.
Brooke Houts horrified fans when she uploaded an unedited video which showed her smacking her Doberman, Sphinx, before tackling him to the ground and spitting on him.
People all over the world called on animal organisations like the RSPCA to step in to help the dog, however the Los Angeles Police Department’s animal cruelty task force have allowed Brooke to maintain custody of Sphinx, TMZ reports.
Warning, this video contains distressing footage:
The publication has reported the video of Brooke ‘abusing’ Sphinx doesn’t have enough proof to show the pooch is in danger under her care, which is why police have opted not to remove him from her home.
However, if the police department decided Brooke did abuse her puppy, then the LAPD would have the right to take him away from her, it’s reported.
Meanwhile, the publication has unearthed a number of worrying tweets in which Brooke shows anger towards her puppy, who she only bought in November last year.
In one video, it’s reported, Brooke recalls a time when Sphinx pulled her down the stairs, before ranting about when he ate a pair of her leggings, signing off with ‘sigh, goodnight to everyone except my dog’.
She also tweeted about Sphinx peeing on her bed, and complained of him hitting her in the face with his ‘chonker paws’.
After facing huge backlash, Brooke released an apology in which she says she doesn’t want to ‘play the victim card’ but says things in her ‘outside life have been less than exceptional’.
She speaks about ‘raising [her] voice and yelling at him’, however makes no reference to the physical violence she showed against him.
Brooke says ‘when my 75 lb Doberman is jumping in my face with his mouth open, I do, as a dog parent, have to show him that this behaviour is unacceptable,’ despite the fact that earlier in the video she appears excited with the pooch, giving Sphinx the impression that it’s time to play, before berating him for showing his excitement towards her.
Amid the backlash, fans tweeted UK animal charity RSPCA, pleading for help, and while they responded with concern for the pooch, they advised people to contact the relevant authorities in the US.
Brooke maintains the custody of Sphinx for now, however this could change if any more concerns for his safety are raised.
Can someone please tell him he’s a good boy from me?
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.